Holographic, laser-induced fabrication of indium nitride quantum wires and quantum dots

Abstract

A semiconductor device is constructed of at least one indium nitride or indium nitride alloy nanostructure on a substrate or other thing film layer. The method used to create the semiconductor device involves illuminating the substrate with a lateral intensity patterning of ultraviolet light in the presence of at least hydrazoic acid and a compound containing indium gas flows. Additionally, a semiconductor light-emitting/detecting modulating device composed of at least one indium nitride or indium nitride alloy nanostructure. The method used to create the semiconductor light-emitting/detecting modulating device involves embedding at least one nanostructure in the interior layer of the device. Further, a monolithic photovoltaic-photoelectrochemical device where one layer is composed of an indium nitride or indium nitride alloy film or nanostructure.

Therefore, having thus described the invention, at least the following is claimed:  
     
       1. A method of fabricating nanostructures, comprising the steps of: 
       providing a substrate;  
       introducing hydrazoic acid (HN 3 ) and a compound containing indium with said substrate;  
       illuminating said substrate with a lateral intensity patterning of ultraviolet (UV) light; and  
       forming at least one nanostructure on said substrate.  
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one nanostructure is selected from the group consisting of quantum dots, quantum wires, arrays of quantum dots, arrays of quantum wires, and arrays of a mixture of quantum dots and wires. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said compound containing indium is selected from the group consisting of trimethylindium, triethylindium, or other indium containing metallo-organic precursors. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said compound containing indium comprises trimethylindium. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said lateral intensity patterning of said substrate is performed by techniques selected from the group consisting of holographic techniques using coherent UV laser light and phase shift techniques using coherent UV laser light. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one nanostructure is made of an indium nitride based compound. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein said indium nitride based compound comprises an indium nitride alloy. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein said indium nitride alloy is selected from the group consisting of In x Ga 1−x N and In x Al 1−x N. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said indium nitride based compound is grown in situ. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of Si, GaAs, a-plane Al 2 O 3 , c-plane Al 2 O 3 , SiC, ZnO, TiO 2 , GaAs, and their polytypes. 
     
     
       11. A method of in situ fabrication of a indium nitride based nanostructure, comprising the steps of: 
       providing a silicon substrate;  
       introducing hydrazoic acid (HN 3 ) and a compound containing indium to said substrate;  
       illuminating said silicon substrate with a lateral intensity patterning of ultraviolet (UV) light; and  
       forming at least one indium nitride based nanostructure on said silicon substrate.  
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one nanostructure is selected from the group consisting of quantum dots, quantum wires, arrays of quantum dots, arrays of quantum wires, and arrays of a mixture of quantum dots and wires. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said indium nitride based compound comprises an indium nitride alloy. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said indium nitride based alloy is selected from the group consisting of In x Ga 1−x N and In x Al 1−x N. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said lateral intensity patterning of said substrate is performed by techniques selected from the group consisting of holographic techniques using coherent UV laser light and phase shift techniques using coherent UV laser light. 
     
     
       16. A method of fabricating nanostuctures, comprising the steps of: 
       providing a substrate;  
       introducing a hydrazoic acid (HN 3 ) gas and a gas including a compound containing indium to said substrate;  
       illuminating said substrate with a lateral intensity patterning of ultraviolet (UV) light; and  
       forming at least one indium nitride based nanostructure on said substrate.  
     
     
       17. A method of in situ fabrication of an indium nitride based nanostructure, comprising the steps of: 
       providing a silicon substrate;  
       introducing a hydrazoic acid (HN 3 ) gas and a gas including a compound containing indium to said substrate;  
       illuminating said silicon substrate with a lateral intensity patterning of ultraviolet (UV) light; and  
       forming at least one indium nitride based nanostructure on said silicon substrate.